Among players of stringed instruments who use a pick rather than a finger or fingernail, most prefer to use some form of conventional pick. Such picks, or plectrums, are generally made from small thin pieces of plastic or similar material having a rounded triangular shape. A user of a pick most often holds it between a thumb and the opposing index finger. The more pointed end of the pick extends beyond the finger and thumb to contact and excite the strings in either a plucking or strumming manner. If the user is not careful to maintain a relatively constant force to grip the pick between the thumb and finger, the pick may rotate away from proper playing position or be dropped completely. The force required by the user can be fatiguing over long periods of play. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,662 Sielaff has shown an ergonomically shaped pick that generally conforms to the shape of the thumb and index finger that grasp it. This was one attempt to reduce the required force and delay the onset of fatigue during a play session.
One primitive solution that has been used to reduce the stress between the thumb and index finger is to fasten the pick to the thumb with a common rubber band. While this may be acceptable in some cases, more often than not at least one of two problems arise: either the pick twists or rotates with respect to the thumb because the rubber band is too loose; or circulation of blood to the finger tip is reduced resulting in a loss of sensitivity, if not pain, from a rubber band that is too tight.
A different approach has been to incorporate some form of a specially designed pick mechanism into a structure that is fitted to a thumb or other finger. Such devices generally take the form of a thimble or a ring. One of the earlier examples of this format was Formey's 1904 U.S. Pat. No. 756,348 for an annular band with an integrated, substantially semicircular, loop having an abrupt projection, which extended beyond the finger tip, for picking. Some devices of this type offer great stability to the pick mechanism by requiring that they be sized to fit a particular thumb or finger of each individual user. One shortcoming that arises once such a device has been fitted is that it often becomes uncomfortably warm due to heat accumulated over a prolonged session of play.
Picking devices that are either conformable or adjustable to an individual's finger have been shown in a variety of formats. Strong provided in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,502 an adjustable strap connected to a wire frame that doubled as a pick. A device which allowed a pick element to slide along a finger-engaging wire band was described by Beall in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,237. McVicker was granted U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,615 for a Thumb Pick made from a single flat piece of flexible material having two parallel slits forming three straps which engaged a thumb. A fingernail shaped pick body having an annular band at its rear and a criss-crossing strip nearer its tip was secured to a finger in the device that was patented by Crafton in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,239. Miller showed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,477 how to form a specially shaped resilient band to serve as a pick that could be wrapped around any finger or thumb.
The object of all of these devices has been to provide a means of fastening a specially designed pick to a thumb or finger. In many cases the pick has been an integral part of the fastening mechanism itself. U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,075 granted to Mapson showed both finger and thumb picks, each being formed as a single unit with wings that wrapped around the finger or thumb. However, Mapson extended his design to describe a form that provided a swivel fastener that could accept a special compatible pick. Recently, Atkin has shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,871 a thumb sleeve that will accept, either interiorly or exteriorly, an attachable and releasable pick by means of a hook and loop fastener. Again, these devices all require a pick that has been fitted with some sort of special adapter.
The Pick Harness described by Brundage in U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,234 departs from other designs by providing a means of securely holding a conventional pick. Brundage shows a flexible strap that encircles the thumb and has three triangularly-related slits that accept the apices of the conventional pick with provision for the pointed end of the pick to protrude through one of the slits into a playing position.